How to Make Scallion Pancakes

Need a scallion pancake fix? I don't know how "authentic" this recipe is, but it's fairly easy, uses common ingredients, and yields a nice result even if you're an amateur. I made these with my toddler by my side!

Crunchy and flaky!

I'd always wondered why this type of dough has to be kneaded and divided and sliced only to be squashed again. Turns out that's what makes it flaky. I went and read a few articles regarding just how many times you should repeat the process and how all the different factors play a role. But I'm happy with the recipe below as I wasn't trying to achieve the perfect flakiness.

Anyone have a favorite dipping sauce? I'm usually happy with just plain soy sauce or a flavored soy sauce, maybe mixed with a little sesame oil?

After getting the recipe (go here), be sure to check out their comments section too for some interest variations.

Challah 2 Ways

This is too late for Rosh Hashanah, but I was frustrated to find that my blog's "search" feature refused to yield results when I went back to look for my Challah recipe from a few years ago. The labels are much more reliable, but they require ME to be very thorough...I wish the tools would work as promised. :/

No worries though; the recipe turned up. The original post and photo are here! 4 years ago...how life has changed.

And my second recipe variation is my mom's delicious Challah recipe that she fine-tuned herself, YUM!


Sweet Challah Comfort Bread

Ingredients:

8 C Hot water
1 C Sugar
2 Tbsp Salt
¼ C Oil
3 C Flour
3 T Yeast
8 Eggs
Flour
Poppy seeds


Directions

1. Combine water, sugar, salt, oil, and flour
2. Add yeast and beat together with fork
3. Add eggs
4. Gradually mix in flour until dough is ready to knead, then knead
5. Let dough rise
6. Cut into 6-8 pieces, form into rectangles
7. Cut into thirds and braid
8. Brush with water and sprinkle with poppy seeds
9. Place on greased cookie sheets to let rise
10. Bake at 350° (ack, for how long??). Beware of burning.

Yield
6-8 Loaves

How to Make "Italian" Breadsticks

I wanted to make a savory treat for Bible study and I thought making breadsticks brushed with garlic butter would be a good choice. You know, the kind you get at Olive Garden or with an order of pizza. It's been really cold lately, so heating up the kitchen was a goal, too!

I was pleasantly surprised by the recipe I found via food.com. No test run or anything and they turned out excellent!

Managed to snap a photo before they disappeared!

Minimal ingredients and effort. The recipe is here and you can read the comment section for more ideas.

Here are my modifications:

-all-purpose flour (still totally fine and a good texture, but probably even BETTER with cake flour); or try whole wheat for a healthier version

-seasoning mix included butter, olive oil, garlic, salt, "Italian" seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, etc.) and a little grated cheese...easy to mix up while they're in the oven

-proofing the yeast in the warm water before adding the flour (doesn't say in the directions but I did it just in case)

Really, really easy and I'm excited to add it to my snack repertoire. It would be fun to try with dipping sauces, too!

How to Make Folares for Easter

Another recipe from our family cookbook is this famous folares recipe from my childhood. This is the first time I had made it myself! Not bad, though I think I could have pulled them out of the oven a TINY bit sooner.

A reminder of the cross and the RISEN Savior!

The idea here is that you take a boiled Easter egg (they really should be dyed to get the visual effect, but you could use onion skins or another natural source of color if you're nervous about chemicals), place it in the middle of the dough, and form a dough cross on top. As they bake, they rise.

Folares-going into the oven

To make for breakfast, you can have them rising in the fridge the night before. To serve, you can have butter out and either eat them as a sweet treat with jam or make a little sandwich out of them with the peeled eggs as filling, whatever you'd like.

Recipe is after the jump:

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

The following is a recipe I found on the Pioneer Woman site and just tried recently....

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls- Fresh out of the oven!

Lately I've been trying about one new baking recipe a week. Cruel, right? :) In general I stick to banana bread, brownies, and yellow cupcakes (and more recently chocolate chip cookies), so I'm trying to branch out a little.

I've certainly made cinnamon rolls before, but not with the pumpkin twist. These are definitely nice and moist.

I don't think Pioneer Woman is original in this combination of flavors, but her recipe worked well! The dough is pretty low maintenance and easy to work with. I did a half batch as usual with new recipes, and it fit perfectly in the round baking pan you see pictured. The icing in her version looks darker because she adds maple syrup, but that's a rare commodity around here! I was excited to just find a good cream cheese brand.

Squished layers but you get the idea

This post is making me want to experience cinnamon rolls again ASAP. But I'm hoping to do something Passover or Easter-related this week. So we'll see.

Oh! I almost forgot-here's the recipe link. :)

How to Make Sweet Challah

Rosh Hashanah is observed this week. A perfect excuse to attempt some Jewish bread-making!

My mother makes Challah from time to time, and it is by far one of my favorites, especially straight out of the oven (which is why I was sampling pieces at midnight). Although it has a hint of sweetness, it is delicious with all kinds of toppings: sweet or savory; hot or cold. When still warm, a few pieces of butter are just right.

I'm not going to type up the recipe because they've done it so well on this website, with very clear, detailed instructions. Try it: Famous Challah

Enjoy!

How to Bake Perfectly Done Pizza

I previously mentioned a few methods for avoiding a soggy pizza crust.


The only problem with prebaking the crust was that it felt like the flavors didn't quite get to mingle. It tasted like bread with some cheese on top, rather than a whole, unified flavor sensation.

I was aiming for improvement and tried one more method, and got success...

....ALL IT TOOK WAS TURNING THE OVEN UP HIGHER!

How to Make Pizza With Rye Dough

I really like working with the rye flour, and I like the sturdiness that it gives the pizza. If you don't like the taste of rye, though, you can substitute. I'm out of whole wheat flour, so have been experimenting with rye a lot. Bear with me. :)

It seems that the main challenge in making pizza is avoiding a soggy crust. My approach is to: 1) Saute veggies ahead of time to get rid of some of the juices. 2) Pre-bake the crust until almost done, so that basically all is left is for the cheese to melt. 3) Not overload the pizza with lots of fillings. It's good for individual flavors to shine, anyway.

Please share if you have other tips. I don't have a pizza stone or anything like that, just a metal baking pan. No corn meal, either.

So here is the crust:

How to Make Sandwich (or Dinner) Rolls

I needed to make some bread for sandwiches since my last batch of bread had turned out a bit on the sweeter side.

The recipe I found is from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (11th Edition, 1,200 recipes). I had made them with all-white flour before, and wanted to try something a little heavier. Being out of whole wheat flour, I used rye. No caraway seeds, though.

This dough is SO easy to work with!  Such a pleasant surprise...

How to Make Flat Bread

I found this recipe on recipezaar under "Arabian Pita Bread." Then, when I was able to purchase whole wheat flour, I began to substitute it for the white flour.

It's not the best bread for sandwiches, but it's good with hummus or to dip into sauces at a meal.

I like the fact that the bread has some yeast to give it body, but you don't have to worry about it being cooked to the perfect point. Just mix, let rest for a few minutes, and then cook one at a time in a frying pan.

I also like that it looks sort of like Naan. I imagine that you could add various spices to get a little more of an exotic taste.

How to Make Walnut and Sunflower Seed Bread

Ever since I found a whole wheat flour source in St. Petersburg, I've been trying to learn how to make bread. I haven't really gotten to the point yet where I like the process. I hate getting sticky dough all over my hands and trying to clean up all the flour afterwards.

However, can't complain about the finished result! It's nice to have homemade bread around.